rescue
verb
res·cue
ˈre-(ˌ)skyü 
rescued; rescuing
: to free from confinement, danger, or evil : save, deliver
They were rescued from the burning building by firefighters.
… a volunteer group that rescues and nurtures injured and orphaned wildlife …—
Australian Geographic
Australian Geographic(figurative) … the acanthus leaf into which the light fixture on the hall ceiling is set was rescued from a curbside trash heap.—Barbara Deane
: such as
Barbara Deane
a
: to take (someone, such as a prisoner) forcibly from custody
b
: to recover (something, such as a prize) by force
c
: to deliver (a place under siege) by armed force
rescue
noun
Historians are wary of the notion that, at a critical point in history, a heroic figure, galloping to the rescue, snatches victory from the jaws of defeat …
—James MacGregor Burns
James MacGregor Burns
rescuer
noun
Examples of rescue in a Sentence
The survivors were rescued by the Coast Guard.
an all-out effort to rescue a beached whale
Recent Examples on the Web
Katniss has been rescued and whisked away by the rebels in District 13, Peeta has been captured by Snow and the rebellion is officially beginning.
—Meredith G. White, The Arizona Republic, 6 July 2024
With the help of organizations like American Humane, communities and pet parents can be better prepared for an emergency, reduce the number of pets lost, and increase the number of pets rescued and reunited with their owners.
—Tom Edling and Richard Goldstein, Orlando Sentinel, 5 July 2024
It was seized by Italian authorities following an attempt to rescue 37 migrants from the central Mediterranean sea.
—Daniel Cassady, ARTnews.com, 3 July 2024
More than 170 endangered runaways have been found and been rescued as part of an operation conduced by the U.S. Marshals Service and other agencies.
—Mike Snider, USA TODAY, 2 July 2024
See all Example Sentences for rescue 
Meredith G. White, The Arizona Republic, 6 July 2024
With the help of organizations like American Humane, communities and pet parents can be better prepared for an emergency, reduce the number of pets lost, and increase the number of pets rescued and reunited with their owners.
—Tom Edling and Richard Goldstein, Orlando Sentinel, 5 July 2024
It was seized by Italian authorities following an attempt to rescue 37 migrants from the central Mediterranean sea.
—Daniel Cassady, ARTnews.com, 3 July 2024
More than 170 endangered runaways have been found and been rescued as part of an operation conduced by the U.S. Marshals Service and other agencies.
—Mike Snider, USA TODAY, 2 July 2024
See all Example Sentences for rescue
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'rescue.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near rescue
Cite this Entry
“Rescue.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/rescue. Accessed 15 Jul. 2024.
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